


Rogue

by L3noryt



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, M/M, Shifters, Slow Build, Spoilers, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-01-09 05:38:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12269991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/L3noryt/pseuds/L3noryt
Summary: It was supposed to be just another mission. They were there because of an anonymous denunciation about an illegal fighting ring. Only whoever made the complaint had forgotten to mention that there were Shifters involved. And as if that were not bad enough, there was a Rogue among them - a black beast of a panther-like feline, though smaller in size than the real beast, with glittering silver-blue eyes filled with bloodlust. Likewise, it was just Eren's luck that he seems to have finally found his Familiar, if L agrees to form a contract.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everybody! This story is my personal excuse to write about Levi as a feline. Also, this idea was haunting me for over a month, so here you have a plot with some action and mystery and our favorite couple. Enjoy
> 
> A big thank you to The_Dame and marquessofthefallen for the support and beta-ing this story.
> 
> I do not own SNK!

 

No matter how well planned a police action, it always had the chance that something would go wrong, they acted, after all, under the element of surprise. But that mission had apparently been doomed from the start. They were there after an anonymous denunciation identified the building as an illegal fighting ring, something they had been trying to fight for some time. The team under Eren was one of the best in the entire department when it came to missions that required agility and speed. Despite them being relatively new, less than four years since they graduated from the Academy, they had already gained fame both inside and outside the Military Police. The plan for tonight was fairly simple, the team would invade the building, to catch the criminals and arrest everyone on the premises; unfortunately things did not go as expected.

Going through the guards at the front door had been relatively easy; Jean, Connie and Mikasa opened the way for the rest of the team. They even managed to enter without any kind of alarm being triggered, warning the criminals of their presence. They split to cover larger terrain, Armin's voice passing information on their headphones from time to time, guiding them through the building's plan which they had obtained while planning the attack. It seemed that this would be another mission without great difficulties, or else they thought. The team had already spread across the two floors of the building when the problem finally appeared,  and one for which they were not prepared.

Eren could already hear the cheers of the crowd when Sasha let out a warning cry to his left, and the brunet barely had time to dodge the onslaught of a tall, stout man much like a tank. If the hole the man's fist had left on the wall was any indication, at the same spot where Eren had been a few moments before was not enough hallmark of his status, the bordered mark in a blue tone on his left wrist made it clear that he was a Familiar. On his headset he could hear Reiner swear, alerting them that his group had also found Shifters on their way. Hearing that, it was Eren's turn to curse, if they knew there would be Shifters involved they would have required assistance from Survey Corps, the branch responsible for everything involving the Ether and its inhabitants. Since no one was aware of this, all those involved in this mission had come ready to subdue humans, a mistake that would cost them dearly.

"Blonde, we have a Delta code situation here. We need help from Survey Corps right away." - He warned Armin, increasing the charge of his stun gun for something he hoped would do more than just stun the man attacking them.

 _"Copied Titan, they've been warned, but the estimate until the arrival of a team is fifteen to twenty minutes."_ \- Informed the blonde, his voice rising a bit with the shaking and Eren swore angrily again.

Anyone who had knowledge about Shifters knew how difficult it could be to face them, it was for that reason that there were so many restrictions on the convocation and formation of a contract with the inhabitants of the Ether. And yet more and more Familiars appeared in the underworld of crime. The proof was in front Eren's own eyes, the corpulent figure still attacking them even after being struck by his and Thomas's stun gun. No matter what they did, without tranquilizers they could not fight the time needed until Survey Corps arrived without casualties. Which meant that the security of his team would have to come first then the protocol. Making a second decision, he contacted Armin again.

"Blonde, pass on to everyone that if they come across a Familiar they are allowed to use lethal force, but target where the damage does not result in death. Copied?"

 _"Titan, are you sure about that?"_ \- The little blonde's voice sounded tense.

Eren knew what Armin was thinking, there would be consequences for such a decision when it was over. The protocol when Shifters were involved was to bring them down using tranquilizers, even if they could heal faster than a human, injuries should be avoided. Shifters were not evil by nature, but could be forced to do what their contractors wanted, which is why such creatures became so dangerous when in the wrong hands. It was for this reason that the young policeman would take all the punishments that would come of such order, whether he liked it or not, Eren saw no other way for his team to leave the building alive and whole. Their armament was for humans, how were they supposed to deal with beings with force and supernatural reflexes only with what they had? There would be bloodshed in one form or another, Eren was just choosing whoever was to shed it were those capable of rapid regeneration.

"Pass the order Blonde. I will take responsibility for it."

 _"Understood Titan." -_ He barely heard the other's voice under the sound of his own gun firing at Shifter's right leg attacking Sasha.

The stun gun had not got much result in stopping the Familiar, the bullet full of gunpowder on the other hand held him long enough for Sasha to unload her own stun gun that finally paralyzed their target. Internally Eren found himself regretting having to wound a creature that most likely had been forced to attack them. But as long as the Shifter was out of action no further harm would come upon him, and that was the best he could do for everyone considering the situation they were in.

 

\---------------------------------------------//---------------------------------------------

 

They had lost a lot of time; that was the prevailing thought running through the young officer's mind. If they had not encountered this kind of obstacle, they would probably have captured most of those involved. The situation had taken a turn for the worse - a commotion had come after the first shot. The sound of shots eventually alerted the audience and the criminals that something was wrong and soon more Shifters appeared to intercept them. In the midst of chaos Eren ended up being separated from the rest of his team. With the surprise element ruined, he changed his tactics, letting his team deal with those trying to escape the building and went after the responsible criminal. It was a risky idea, but Eren was determined. If he could get his hands on the damned boss giving orders behind the shadows, the whole fight would cease and the mission would not have been a failure.

Soon he reached the midst of the ring. The whole place was quite organized, making it obvious that such events occurred frequently. There were two rows of seats around a concrete arena, which stood a few yards below, giving a better view of the fighting. He was surprised to realize that there was still a fight going on, even though the audience had already left the place in an attempt to escape. A large panther-like feline, black as night, struggled with claws and fangs against a group of men trying to fence it in. It only took a second for Eren's mind to record that what he was seeing was not a fight. The men were trying to _capture_ the beast. A _Rogue_. That was the only explanation why they still had not mastered the beautiful creature. Eren felt his blood boil. _How dare they do that!_ It was already bad enough to force a Familiar to fight, but allowing a Shifter to remain without a contract to the point of going feral just to use it as a killing weapon for fun was _abominable_. Eren would not rest until he could see each of the bastards behind the bars paying for their crimes.

"Blonde, how long until the Survey Corps arrives?"

 _"Titan?! Where are you? Potato Girl said that you have separated and Raven is behind you."_ \- Even as angry as Eren was, he shuddered by the mention of his foster sister, Mikasa always took her protectionism a too far and this sometimes became a nuisance, especially when they were on missions.

"I reached the midst of the ring. Blonde, let the Survey know we have a Rogue here." - Armin's sudden gasp of air told him that the blonde shared his opinion about the criminals.

 _"Understood Titan. The Survey team should be here any minute. Do you need support?"_ \- Came to Armin's reply, but Eren had no time to respond.

Inside the ring a silver glow caught the young man's attention. It seemed that the attackers had finally given up trying to subdue the beast when the second of them was knocked over, as one of the men was now aiming a weapon at the big cat. Eren saw red. Without a second thought, he made his presence known by firing and hitting the criminal's hand, which made the offensive object fall to the concrete floor. As much as it might hurt to be hit by a rubber bullet, all that was left behind was an ugly bruise. It was not enough to satisfy his anger, but that was the best he could do under the law, so he continued shooting them causing them to divide their attentions and give the feline the opportunity to redouble its attacks. He definitely did not feel bad when another of the bad guys went to the ground, a victim of the Rogue's sharp claws.

Eren was so focused on the fight that he only realized that he had lowered his guard when he felt something hit his back hard enough to have him fall into the ring a few feet below where he was before. The impact on the concrete floor punched all the oxygen out of his lungs and Eren could feel his head pounding - _definitely a concussion_. Despite the burning in his lungs and the nausea drowning him from the inside to outside, the brunet fought to get up, he was in the middle of a fight in progress and could not surrender. It was a smart decision because as soon as his body went vertical one of the criminals began targeting him. Eren managed to dodge the blow with some difficulty. His legs felt like jelly and his vision was beginning to blur, yet he successfully landed a punch on his opponent's nose, the pain in the bones of his hand and the red dripping from the other's nostrils proof of his success.

The young officer fought against dizziness while sucking up large amounts of air, his chest was aching, but he could not be sure if something was broken or not. Eren was yanked out of his confused thoughts when a loud roar, coming from somewhere to his right, reminded him that there was a predator inside the enclosure in addition to the criminals. With his limited vision, he picked up the movement of another of the bandits who was targeting him, and once more Eren dodged, only for his legs to finally give out beneath him, bringing him to the ground.

His world spun for a moment as his head connected with the concrete once more. The pain paralyzed him for a moment. When his senses stabilized enough not to lose the contents of his stomach, he struggled to rise from the floor, it was even harder this time. His sea-green eyes met with silver-blue orbs - _like storm clouds_. There was thirst for blood and fury in those beautiful eyes, and something else that Eren was too dizzy to name properly, but it could be intelligence. This made no sense, because a Rogue should be pure animal instinct. His confused line of thought was broken again by the feline's roar a few paces in front him, followed by the beast leaping toward him. In the pure instinct, he rolled to the side to escape the attack, gagging a moment later when the nausea rose in his throat due to the abrupt movement. Feeling his head throb with even more force, he fought to open his eyes, after all the fight was not over yet. However, the darkness at the edges of his mind did not allow him to continue.

Funny, Eren could have sworn he heard metal hit the ground shortly after the big cat had jumped. Maybe it was just his concussion playing tricks on him. His last thought before succumbing to unconsciousness, on the other hand, had little to do with the feline, was something more urgent - _Mikasa was totally going to kick his ass._

 

**\--------------------------------------------------------||--------------------------------------------------------**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you are thinking about the story, your opinions are my incentive to keep writing.  
> You can find me on my Tumblr: lenoryt13.tumblr.com  
> Until the next chapter!


	2. Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for the kudos and the kind comments and sorry for the delay in updating.  
> A warning: this chapter was not beta-ed yet, when my betas do I'll post the corrected version. I hope my mistakes do not prevent you from having a pleasant reading.

 

Hanji Zoe was ecstatic with the new addition to the Survey Corps laboratory, and all this was due to the fury package that had been obtained in the last mission of the Military Police. If the test results that had been made on the feline were correct - and she knew they were, after all it was she who supervised each one of them - the Rogue on the other side of the observation room's glass was in the human world for, at least, five years _without_ a contractor. The maximum recorded time of a Shifter surviving without forming a contract had been a year and a half. The specimen in their laboratory had far surpassed that estimate, and without showing the mental weakening and physical weariness that always accompanied the absence of a contract. But that was not all, the creature, _L_ \- the collar on his neck named him as L - had not really gone feral. His behaviour was hostile, but not wild, his eyes sparkling with obvious intelligence and the kind of calculation only a sentient being could possess. All in all he looked like a grumpy cat and very suspicious of everyone - and rightly so, considering where he came from. The possibilities that L's discovery brought to science were immense, so many that Hanji was practically vibrating with enthusiasm.

"What have your tests gotten?" - Ah, yes, she'd almost forgotten that Erwin was still at her side, no doubt planning something under his thick eyebrows. Vaguely the researcher wondered if it was possible to reproduce that pile of hair in the laboratory and implant it in someone; the part of finding a guinea pig without a doubt would be the most complicated.

"His animal form is the equivalent of our leopard, although he is a little smaller than normal for this species. Other differences between him and the feline of our world are in his fur, which is completely black similar to domestic cats, and his eyes are silver-bluish. And, as I suspected, even being a Rogue he was not feral yet."

"How long?" Asked the blond Commander, doubtless that was the most important question in the case of a Rogue.

During the more than three decades of research involving the inhabitants of Ether, the maximum recorded time of a Rogue without going feral was about thirteen months, and only with the aid of medications. After succumbing to their animal instincts and losing their sentient mind it was only a matter of time before Shifter's health began to deteriorate eventually leading them to death.

"Our tests have come to an estimate; L has been here for at least five years." - This definitely caught the Commander's attention, if the widening of his eyes was anything. - "He is a true miracle Erwin! Five years without a Contractor and still no sign of going feral! Can you imagine what these data mean for our research? How much can we learn and-"

"What about his injuries? They do not seem to be healing as fast as they should. "If Hanji was a minor woman, she would probably have been offended by the abruptness with which her commander always interrupted her. As it was the brunette simply changed her line of thought to accommodate Erwin's lack of interest in the details of her research.

"Most of his injuries are quite superficial, probably acquired in the last confrontation. The wound on the left hind paw seems to have been a deeper injury and his body has focused its healing on it. It is difficult to stipulate precisely how long it will take until a complete cure, but it should occur sometime next week. Also, if I had to guess what caused the injury I would say it was silver, considering the amount of damage and the time it takes to regenerate."

It was common knowledge how damaging silver was to Shifters. Easily wounds caused by the substance could be lethal, even if they were not located in a vital area. Since the brunette joined Survey Corps, many times she saw what lack of care and proper treatment could do to a Shifter with a silver injury. To think that there were people who would deliberately hurt them with the metal made Hanji want to _hurt that people_ in the same way.

"It also does not help that he does not allow us to treat the injury and refuse medication. The bandages are from when he first arrived here still sedated. Once he got conscious he rejected any attempt at intervention." She informed with a sigh; the panther's stubbornness was irritating and yet exhilarating.

"Did you try to get him to take antibiotics differently, maybe in food?"

"We dismissed this possibility when he did not accept any food we offer. He only drank water after sniffing it and still in small amounts. It was obvious he did not trust us. As I said, he is intelligent, above average I would also say." - Hanji could not avoid the hint of emotion she felt at every discovery about her new guest, after all the grumpy fur ball had already conquered her affection.

"What about a contract. Is he fit to form one?" - Of course that would be the real interest of Erwin. If her report was the only thing the blond man wanted he would not have left his office and come to the lab, he would have expected she to take it to him or send for someone else.

"Definitely. Although I wonder how Mike will react to the presence of another Shifter, and a feline in this."

She had no doubt that the Commander himself was the one who intended to form the contract, and that would be an interesting experience to observe, considering that the blond was already bonded to a Shifter. Although unusual, it was not uncommon for a single individual to have two Familiar, the only requirement was that the human had a lot of mental strength. But two Familiars derived from different _species_ was something she had not yet witnessed. Thinking about it, the brunette was already regretting to send Moblit to oversee the research she was coordinating before the feline arrived, because now Hanji did not have his help in recording the new events. Too bad, because the formation of a contract was always an incredible experience to witness.

Normally, a contract took place shortly after Shifter was summoned, an event divided into three stages. First the interested human would offer something of himself, usually it was a little stir of their hair, and in return the Shifter would reveal their _name_ of good will. Then the human would invoke the revealed name, which would allow their Familiar to change form. Finally, the contract mark would appear in their hands - on the right on the Contractor and on the left on the Familiar. It was rare for a Shifter to reject the summoner, when it happened was because for some reason the human was not suitable, but somewhere in the world there was someone compatible. These were the ones who became Rogues.

There was, however, only one exception recorded so far, a young man whose attempts at both summoning and forming a contract produced no result at all. Something unheard of in all those years of research - very similar to the panther case on the other side of the glass. And, of course, these kinds of anomalies were what made Hanji's joy as a researcher - mysteries eagerly waiting for her to unveil them.

"We still do not know if he will accept a contract, and Mike sees no problem in having another partner." - Erwin did not bother to deny his interest in bonding with such a powerful creature, he and Hanji had known each other for many years to waste time with that kind of attitude.

"Just go ahead. You know the procedure, but remember that cats are not usually as friendly as dogs." - He raised one of those furry eyebrows at her, but otherwise said nothing, preferring instead to go with his plans.

From her side of the glass the brunette woman watched the tall blond walk across the small hallway to the front door into the room and open it carefully. That was as far as he went before the feline made a sound that sounded rather disgusted. Oh! Mike might not care about a feline partner, but the feeling did not seem to reciprocate on the cat's part. The sight brought a noisy chuckle out of the researcher's throat. Hanji and this Shifter _were so going to be great friends!_ She could not wait to see his human form and find out how his personality would turn out - the woman betting he would have a sharp tongue. Although it seemed that she would have to wait a little longer before that happened, if the _dirty look_ the panther was giving her Commander meant anything, the Shifter would not be accepting a contractor so soon.

_Definitely going to be great friends._

 

\---------------------------------------------//---------------------------------------------

 

Eren actually felt relax for the first time in two days. He had finished his assignment with a pretty bad concussion, and his rib cage was full of sore bruises - he did not break any ribs, but it had been close. Because of the concussion that his skull had suffered and of his consequent fainting, the young policeman ended up being observed in the hospital for twenty-four hours. As the brunet waited, Mikasa was not happy and he found himself trapped under her sermons, plus a quick check on his condition, and Armin's worried and censorious stares. God, he was not a damn child, he was twenty-four years old! Yes, he had made a questionable decision when he chose to go alone behind the bandits’ boss, but it was not as if he was not aware of the risks. He just hoped his friends and teammates would have more confidence in him and his abilities.

Once released from the hospital Eren went straight to his small house for a royal bath, some headache medicine, a few hours of sleep and a good meal - not necessarily in that order. The truth is, he ate like a doomed man at his last meal - hospital's food sucked - and then he slipped on his bed just waking up when the medicines for pain had wear out. Once awake he bathed and decided it was time to end the drama and find out what Nile, his annoying boss, would do to him - for some reason the man seemed to hate him. And that was how he found himself sometime in the middle of the afternoon leaving the Military Police building, after knowing _no_ , he would _not be_ expelled or anything as drastic - as Mikasa and Armin were afraid. If he was even fired, Eren feared what his _sister_ would do. Apparently the fact that his decision resulted in no loss to both sides saved him from a more critical fate. However his superiors decided to remove him for the remainder of the week until an appropriate punishment was decided for his breach of protocol.

Probably he would gain some negative remark in his file, which would bar him from being promoted for some time, and his salary would suffer a lot for some months, nothing he could not face. He had been much more concerned about possible retaliation against his team for having complied with his orders. Something that fortunately did not come once he took full responsibility. Small mercies he supposed - throughout his life he had learned to cling to them. On the other hand the time off from service was welcome, if not expected. Eren knew that part of the reason he was out of work was due to being under pain medication. Honestly he was relieved; the brunet doubted that his head with a concussion would endure hours and hours of typing and filling reports on his desk. Again, small mercies.

There was, however, something the young brunet could not get out of his mind, and it was not pain, it was something he had learned when he first woke up in the hospital. That morning Eren found his adoptive sister still alert, though she clearly had not slept at all during the night, and his best friend asleep, both sitting in uncomfortable chairs. After ensuring that _yes, he was fine, nothing was hurting Mikasa_ and _no, he would not do anything so risky again_ , he questioned what had happened after he erased. More specific, what happened to the Rogue after he lost consciousness.

 _"It was weird. That Rogue did not act as he should."_ \- Mikasa summed up the situation.

It did not take a genius to realize that it was not a subject she wanted to address. Mikasa had lost parents to thugs who had used Familiars to prevent them from escaping. Since then the young woman, whom the Jaeger family had adopted, did not see with favour the inhabitants of the Ether. While they growing up this had been a tender spot between the brunet and his sister. Eren blamed the humans for everything bad that happened to the Ackerman family and not the Shifters, but the girl saw the Familiars as equally guilty.

 _"What Mikasa does not want to say, and this I heard from Jean and Sasha too, is that when they found you that Shifter had jumped on one of the criminals who was trying to stab you in your back."_ \- Armin explained when the brunet turned his look at the blonde expecting more details.

 _"Are you saying he saved me?"_ \- Eren let out the thought, even if it sounded surreal to a Rogue saving someone.

 _"All I saw was him jumping and you rolling out of the way. For all we know he could be targeting you and only hit the criminal by chance."_ \- Mikasa answered promptly.

_"As you said, that Shifter was acting unlike what someone expects from a Rogue. Sasha confirmed that he did not look like a feral. And we all know she understands wild creatures since she grew up in a family of hunters."_

_"He almost killed those men."_ \- The young woman insisted stubbornly.

 _"But he did not attack any of the agents, or those who were already down. A clear proof of intelligence and reasoning."_ \- Argued the blonde.

_"Even if he was not a feral yet, that's just a matter of time until it happens."_

Eren had stopped paying attention to the rest of the conversation after his sister's comment, his mind bubbling with thoughts. He vaguely remembered _seeing_ something other than fury and bloodlust shining in the big cat's eyes, something his confused and aching mind had not been able to correctly identify. It might as well have been intelligence as Sasha had thought and Armin believed, and if that was true the possibility that that Rogue had saved him, even if unlikely as Mikasa insisted, aroused in the brunet the desire to return the favour. After all, it would be extremely depressing if after all that the Shifter had passed into the hands of those damned criminals, he would go feral and eventually dying. The mere thought of that beautiful creature ceasing to exist revolted him in a way that himself could not explain.

Considering that he would not be back on duty until Monday, and it was still Wednesday, Eren decided that a visit to the Survey Corps lab sounded as good of a plan as any. Besides, it was not like he had too much to do with the newly acquired free time. There was always cleaning, that the brunet was not too excited to get involved, considering that his head just was not hurting at the moment due to the medication. The other possibility would be to read or watch something, but he was not too thrilled with the thought, and there was only so much that one could sleep before the whole body began to feel like a big bruise.

His mind made, Eren took the fastest route to the building where he hoped to be able to get another look at the beautiful feline - maybe Hanji would allow him to see the Rogue if he expressed his thoughts. The woman of glasses could be quite hyperactive, but she was a good person. In addition, the young man was already relatively accustomed to her strangeness; he had visited the lab several times in the past in an attempt to find a Familiar. Being a Survey Corps agent had been his goal since he was young, but since he never got a summon that worked, and none of the Shifters ever agreed to form a contract with him, Eren eventually resigned himself to the Military Police.

It had been quite frustrating when he found he could not follow his dream. But the brunet had grown up learning to deal with frustration and channelling it to more productive things - like arresting criminals who thought they could get away with their crimes. Eren had become a hell of a good cop, and that no one could deny - not even the annoying horse-face.

 

\---------------------------------------------//---------------------------------------------

 

Like of the other times that he visited the place, it was Historia who received him as soon as he arrived at the laboratory. The little blonde girl had graduated with Eren and the rest of his friends at the academy, the class 104 cadets, and just as the brunet she had an interest in being part of the Survey Corps. The two made their summons on the same day and unlike him, Historia formed a contract with a Shifter called Ymir. He never knew what her animal form was just that it was something _very cute_ \- her contractor's words. Personally Eren was unable to see the young woman of bad genius as anything but something wild and with claws. Besides, as soon as all the possible suitors of the blonde discovered, her Familiar was very possessive of her, not that Historia seemed to be bothered by the attention of the other female, the two understood very well.

Eren was still exchanging greetings with his former classmate when the person he wanted to see found him.

"Eren, so good to see you!" - Hanji's excited voice greeted him - "I heard you were injured on your last mission. How are you?" - it did not matter that sometimes the researcher let herself be carried away by her passion for Ether and their inhabitants, the woman had a good heart and Eren respected her even more for it.

"Hello, Hanji. I'm fine; it was just a concussion, nothing that some analgesics and sleep do not solve."

"Oh, that's good to know. From what I heard the damage could have been much worse. Beautiful decision making." Eren felt slightly embarrassed and at the same time grateful for the compliment; since he first woke up everything he heard were criticism. It was good to know that at least someone was on his side.

"Thank you Hanji. You're the first person not to criticize me."

"Do not pay attention to what people say. Most don't know the burden of carrying the safety of others on their shoulders." She reassured him by patting him on the shoulder, which he returned with a smile. - "Come on, let's talk. I'm anxious to know everything about what happened."

They settled into the messy chaos Hanji called the office, Eren drinking tea and the woman with a cup of coffee, which he doubted was the last one she would have before her turn was over.

"So how did you end up in a mess like that?" It was the researcher's question, the same as Eren had done to himself several times now.

The brunet recounted how an anonymous denunciation had led them to an alleged ring of human unlawful fighting, how they found and fought with Familiars even though their armament was not adequate to subjugate them. Eren informed her that he chose the safety of his team instead of following the standard procedures for the situation they were in, about having encountered a Rogue and fighting off criminals. He even told him about his work slack and punishment still to come. Unlike talking to Mikasa and Armin who judged him, it was strangely comforting to talk to the researcher, at least the woman was not judging him like everyone else did. Hanji was as good a listener as a speaker, which meant _a lot_.

Eren in turn was starting to get increasingly frustrated, and how could he not? His team had been placed, apparently on purpose, in danger because there was an obvious negligence of information, either from the complainant or from within the Central itself. The more he thought the more certain he was that someone wanted that mission to end in a bloodbath. It was bad enough to know that there were Shifters being forced to fight for their contractors to profit from their suffering, but the possibility that all this was some sort of plan made his stomach shake. To add even more fuel to the fire, Eren would have no chance to take part in the investigation that he and his team had begun, and could very well have cost them their lives.

"At least something good came of it. That Rogue you found is a real discovery." Hanji's excited voice snatched him from his dark thoughts and reminded him of his original reason for being there.

"How is he? He has not been feral yet, has he?" The question escaped his lips before he could stop himself, and this only revealed how much the subject had been bothering him.

"Oh, he's a bad-tempered ball, but not feral. Far from it actually. He is incredible!" The woman declared, excitement leaking into her words.

The immense relief that flooded him caught the young man by surprise, but Eren did not care. It was good to know that despite all the problems surrounding his mission, as Hanji said, something good had come of this.

"He's fine, just a few bruises undoubtedly fruit of his fights, nothing serious. Only the left hind paw is a problem. I believe he was wounded with silver." The way Hanji pronounced the name of the metal was as if it itself had personally offended her. - "His body has focused regeneration at this point, so the small scratches are still visible. He should heal within a week. It would be faster with proper treatment, but he does not seem to trust anyone who wears a lab coat."

Hearing about this made the brunet _definitely_ want to get his hands on who was behind these crimes and make them pay for everything they had done. He already considered a personal affront the fighting rings with humans beating each other sometimes to death, doing so with beings that were basically visitors in their world and could be forced to fight against their will, it was even worse. Eren fought the wave of dark thoughts that wanted to dominate him; there was nothing the young man could do about it now. But instead, the brunet made himself focus on what he _could do_ at the moment.

"Could I see him? If it's all right, of course." He did not even bother trying to disguise hope in his voice, after all that had been his goal from the beginning.

"I do not see why not. Maybe it's good for him to see a familiar face. After all, it was you who saved him." - Answered the researcher already standing, one of her crazy smiles on her face.

"It's actually more like he saved me from what I heard in the hospital."

Eren barely uttered such words and found a face very close to his with a pair of very bright eyes staring directly at him. Internally the brunet shuddered; he had forgotten that Hanji was crazy when it came to her research objects.

"Eren! How can you hide such an important fact from me?! Tell me! Tell me everything!" - If possible, the woman seemed even more vibrant than her usual self, which was somewhat intimidating if the brunet was to be honest.

"Well, personally I do not remember anything, I lost consciousness when it happened. But the others on my team who were there said that there was one of the bad guys trying to stab me in the back and the Rogue jumped on him before he could hurt me."

Eren hastened to explain, being surprised by the excited shout that the woman emitted before grabbing him by one of his wrists and dragging him down the corridor all the time flickering between stuffing him with questions, for which he hardly had answers, and muttering scientific observations he did not understand.

"L is even more interesting than I imagined!" She exclaimed at one point, as they approached what Eren recognized as the place where the Shifters were observed.

"L?" He asked, not sure he was following the conversation correctly.

"Ah yes. He had a collar with the letter L around his neck. Which is also strange because no one names a Shifter, they already have names, and only one who has accepted a contract reveals their name. But as everything seems to be around this Shifter, this is more of a mystery." - explained Hanji, she was practically vibrating with emotion.

Eren was aware of this aspect of forming a contract. It was something learned yet at the Academy.

"So he has or had a Contract?" - The brunet was unsure about such a possibility, he had never heard of a Shifter who ever had a Contractor become a Rogue.

"Oh no. He is totally a Rogue. None of the tests we've done have recorded any trace of a Contract or transformation in his human form. Besides, he would not be a Rogue if he had a Contractor sometime in his presence in our world. Like I said he's a mystery," She clarified.

After the woman's lively answer they both plunged into a short silence, which lasted until they both reached a wall whose half was made of glass, where they finally stopped. The first time Eren had seen the black beauty of a feline had been midst the rush of a mission that had everything to become a bloody failure. He saw a beast trapped by several enemies and still determined to fight with everything he had until his last breath. The next time he was face to face with the Rogue, his mind was full of pain and his vision was not the most reliable and all he could register were the most beautiful stormy eyes he had ever seen. Eyes shone with anger and bloodlust. Now standing before that glass wall he could recognize that the creature, nestled on a small pile of blankets in the room before him, had _intelligence_ shining in his silver-blue orbs, eyes that seemed to pierce his own.

Eren felt his pulse quicken as he found himself trapped under such intense gaze, without thinking he approached the glass wall and held out a hand. It was as if he were hypnotized. Honestly, all Eren wanted was a chance to thank the feline for saving him from a much worse injury than the concussion he suffered. And if possible, repay the favour in some way. That's when Hanji came up with a question that had not yet crossed his mind.

"Would you like to go in there and try a contract?"

 

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you are thinking about the story, your opinions are my incentive to keep writing.  
> You can find me on my Tumblr: lenoryt13.tumblr.com  
> Until the next chapter!


	3. Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello people! Sorry for the long delay. Unfortunately real life has no mercy and writing becomes complicated, so I ask you to have patience with me. I did not give up my stories, it's just that the time to dedicate to them has been little.  
> Finally, this chapter has not yet been beta-ed, soon all the mistakes are mine.

Eren Jaeger was a twenty-year-old freshman from the Academy the first time he entered the doors of the Survey Corps research lab. Nothing in him stood out as a natural talent except his iron determination and his tendency to consider the safety and well-being of all before himself. The brunet graduated among the top ten in his class with high grades and the Military Police's eye on him. Yet his choice of action once formed was to register for the Agency responsible for matters involving the Ether. Something that would not generally be the first career choice of someone in his prime position. But none of this information was really important to Hanji, all that interested her was her discovery that the sea-green-eyed young man was unable to make a summons that worked. Although the boy fulfilled all the necessary prerequisites to gain access to the Veil, which separated the human world from Ether, and his affinity with it was one of the greatest already recorded, not even Rogues answered his call in the countless attempts made, a fact unprecedented.

As Hanji was going to learn in the years that followed, none of the Shifters ever summoned would agree to form a contract with the boy. At that time the researcher had not only been enchanted by this finding, but had been determined to discover what was different about the brunet. About four years after meeting Eren Jaeger, and having yet to discover what made him special, a new puzzle appeared in front of her in the form of a black feline. A Rogue who even after five years in the human world without forming a contract had not yet become feral, and had so little sign that it would happen any time soon. Now, standing in front of the glass that separated her from the cat in question, she observed two mysteries she had not yet been able to solve. It was simply irresistible the idea of trying to get them together and see what would happen. Especially when the panther's reaction to Eren's presence had been different from the one he'd presented to anyone else in the lab.

The pattern of the feline on the two days he'd been there was pretty clear-suspicion and irritation when confronted with anyone wearing a medical lab coat. It had become quite obvious that he had had unpleasant experiences with someone wearing the same type of clothes, leaving him wary around such people. When Erwin came, the only other person to visit him besides the regular staff in that lab area, the big cat watched him with the kind of attention that is directed at a possible rival - alert but not yet hostile. A reaction that only changed when the blonde tried to enter the room where the panther was, at which time L showed his displeasure and made it clear that he was not interested in forming a contract with her Commander. Then Eren came.

The moment the brunet was in view, the feline's body language changed and something that could only be described as _recognition_ shone in those tempestuous orbs. Eren's own reaction had also been interesting, the young man seemed mesmerized by the sight of the panther - something he had not shown of the other times he'd been there. That was why she made the proposal that seemed the most obvious step to take - to unite the two.

"Would you like to go in there and try a contract?"

Hanji just did not expect the next words she would hear leave the young man's lips.

 

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"Wonderful!" Exclaimed Hanji, sounding extremely enthusiastic, and definitely curious, after hearing his response - "Let's see what the big bad cat thinks about it." She continued, gesturing for the brunet to go forward.

Eren was feeling nervous, probably more than he'd ever felt in any of the attempts he ever made. He was aware of the Rogue watching every move he made, and it was both unnerving and exciting to know that he had caught the attention of the other as much as he had caught his own. Stopping in front of the door he inhaled deeply before picking up the knob and opening it. The feline had moved, his body turned slightly toward the door, and his stormy eyes still fixed on Eren, alert and analysing him. When no hostile reaction came from the big cat, the young man ventured further into the room, careful to keep his movements loose and his hands visible.

It was known that even in his animal form a Shifter was able to understand human speech and respond to it, how the process worked was still unknown. All that was known was that as long as they were not feral, the Rogues had minds capable of thinking logically in the same way as in their human form. That's why Eren did not hesitate to talk to the panther the way he would with anyone even if a verbal response would not reach his ears.

"Hello, I don't know if you remember me or not, but I'd like to thank you for saving me from being stabbed in the back, two days ago back in that fight ring. I have no doubt that if you had not interfered I could have hurt myself gravely, or worse. Thank you so much for that." He expressed his sincere thanks by looking at the Rogue in the eyes, so that he could see clearly the brunet's emotions.

A low noise came from the panther and Eren took it as a confirmation that yes, L recognized him. In addition, the other's posture relaxed slightly after his thanks; his stormy gaze seemed to brighten up a little with something that might have been surprise and satisfaction. The thought that this had been the first time anyone had correctly recognized Shifter's actions had Eren's chest contrite, and this only served to cement his decision. He would do everything in his power to help this Rogue if he would allow such a thing. Besides that, the feline's positive reaction brought him relief and hope. After all, most of the time the brunet tried to approach with other Shifters, they ignored him or walked away, making clear their lack of interest in him. L had not done either of them; on the contrary, his attention was total on Eren.

"My name is Eren Jaeger, I am part of the Military Police and I have always wanted to work with the Shifters and be able to learn and know more about them and their world. I'll not lie and say that I have no interest in forming a contract. I'm sure you would be an incredible Familiar. But I don’t see how you would trust a human who barely knew enough to accept such a thing, especially when my kind has treated you so badly."

Eren could feel his pulse racing in his chest, but that only served to propel him further. He had already made up his mind. Making sure he never looked away from the cat, the brunet went on.

"However, the thought that you have left one cage for another only for nobler reasons, makes me sick inside. So instead of a contract I want to give you an invitation." - If possible the Rogue's gaze intensified even more on him, making it clear that his words caught the attention of the other.

Eren knew that his actions were breaking another protocol - it seemed that he had taken a liking to do that. But as he had first explained to Hanji, when she came up with the idea of the contract, and now to the Rogue, the young man doubted that the panther would accept a Contractor when he could not trust the humans. The truth was that the sight of the Shifter struggling inside that illegal ring had clung to the brunet. L was a force of nature that humans had tried to control for a long time, and all Eren could think of was giving him freedom, and trying to impose a contract on him definitely was not the right way to go. Not if he wanted to be worthy of the trust of the other.

"Would you like to come and live with me for a while? This will be without obligations; you can stay until you decide that you do not like my presence and prefer to return to the lab. Or if you find me worthy we can form a contract. The choice anyway will be yours. Hanji, the woman on the other side of the glass, is responsible here and can authorize your departure with me. If you want to."

He made the offer making sure to make it clear that the one who had the power of decision was L, something that no doubt had been denied the Rogue in his time as a prisoner. The second part of his offer, however, was different, still necessary, and the brunet understood that and agreed fully. For this reason he accepted, even if it was something that could be against the wishes of the Shifter.

"There is, however, a condition if you agree to come with me." Here the feline narrowed his eyes, as if waiting for some sort of trap from the beginning and that finally appeared - "You will have to accept the treatment for your leg heal faster. Hanji does not allow any injured Shifters under the care of the Survey Corps to leave without proper treatment. It's the rules here and with you it will not be any different. I'd say I'm sorry, but I'd be lying because I agree that you need your leg careful to avoid trouble." - Like Hanji, Eren was adamant about that point.

Whatever L was expecting the brunet to say clearly was not this, for it took the panther a few moments to seem to register his words. But when he did, Eren soon knew, for the great cat narrowed his gaze even more, his pupils becoming little more than vertical lines in the silver-blue sea. Clearly he was trying to determine if the young man was telling the truth. And even as he felt uneasy at the intensity of those tempestuous eyes, Eren dared not move or even blink. The brunet was aware that this was a decisive moment and any wrong move or word on his part could ruin his already small chances that the Rogue would accept his offer.

The strange contest of facing seemed to stretch forever, the anxiety eating inside, but Eren was nothing but determined. At last the panther moved. Although he always considered himself to be a more doggy person, the brunet had always found it incredible how graceful the cats moved, and graceful was the way L had risen from his blankets nest, deliberately slow in his footsteps. His silver-blue gaze locked on Eren's, he was every inch the deadly predator his equivalents of the human world were. In fact even more frightening if you consider that Shifters had abilities that went far beyond what any being on this side of the Veil possessed. The brunet swallowed hard as the other approached, uncertain of what that would mean - whether or not he accepted his offer. Excitement and adrenaline filling his veins, the young man waited to see what the big cat would do. Just beyond the reach of Eren's fingers the panther stopped and sat under his hind legs, raising his head to continue to maintain eye contact. In this proximity the brunet could see that his eyes were more silver than blue, intense and definitely intelligent, there was even calculation shining in these orbs, indicating a mind as sharp as his claws, fangs and his gaze.

A loud scream followed by a shrill laugh completely broke the moment, scaring Eren almost out of his own skin, who finally broke contact with the Rogue turning to the glass wall. Hanji seemed to be about to explode with emotion, laughing, muttering and _jumping_. He had forgotten that the two of them had an audience; the same did not seem to have happened to the panther, who let out a noise the brunet could associate with something between irritation and, perhaps, resignation. Despite Hanji's joy, Eren needed to be sure of Rogue's response, he did not want to misinterpret his actions and generate misunderstandings.

"So, is that a yes for my invitation?" He asked, meeting the Shifter's gaze again, feeling a little insecure suddenly.

The cat stared at him again, and this time Eren could not help shaking under that intense stare. A sound that was _definitely_ derision came from the panther. It seemed that his reactions amused the other.  A few moments later, L rose and crossed the few steps that still separated him from the brunet, standing directly in front of him and not moving anymore, as if expecting some reaction from the young man. But Eren was not sure what to do, he had never been in this kind of situation before, his interactions with Shifters were brief and without approach of any of the parts.

"I think he wants to record your scent, it's his way of saying that he recognizes you and accepts your offer." Came Hanji's explanation.

Eren had not even noticed that the woman had moved and was now propped up at the door of the room where she was watching them with vibrant chocolate orbs. His attention was so focused on the feline in front of him that he had lowered his guard to everything else around him. An oversight that in another type of situation could have cost him dear, besides having his ass kicked by Mikasa. But Eren _did not want_ to think about his sister and her reactions, not when there was a Shifter _Rogue_ who _would go_ home with him.

At the suggestion of the researcher, Eren held out his right hand with his palm facing up, his left hand firmly at his side. As Hanji had said, the panther stretched his neck a little enough for his snout to reach near the offered hand where he sniffed, his warm breath tickling the still wet skin of the brunet. After a moment the cat let out another noise and stepped back, sitting once more on his hind legs looking strangely contented. And despite what Hanji had commented about his animosity with people wearing white coats, the panther did not seem to consider the woman more than a nuisance, and the brunet found himself giving voice to his curiosity.

"He does not seem to regard you as a threat."

"It's because I'm clearly not!" Exclaimed the hyperactive woman sounding offended by the prospect.

This drew another snort from the cat, the same sound Eren was beginning to associate with _debauchery_.

"Hey! Who gave you several blankets to form a nest? "She complained, and the look she received from the big cat was unimpressed. - "Anyway, there are some papers you need to sign before you can take him with you." - She commented fixing her gaze now on Eren. - "But before that there is something I need to clarify. Something our Rogue here will have to do."

"What? You have not mentioned any of this before, only the question of medical treatment." - Eren protested.

"That's because we did not know if he would accept your offer or not. Besides, do I need to remind you that this has never happened before? You two don't have a Contract, and dealing with a Shifter in Rogue state I need to make sure you're safe with him."

Hanji's comment drew a disgusted noise from the cat, causing the two humans to face him. If Eren had to rate the look the cat threw for the researcher he would say it was offended. It seemed that L considered a insult the idea that he would attack Eren at the first opportunity he had.

"Don't look at me like that. You must know that a Familiar is incapable of attacking their Contractor, but there is nothing to guarantee Eren's safety in the case of the two of you." She commented, meeting the panther's gaze with a seriousness that few times the young man had seen in her face. - "I know Eren enough to know that he would rather hurt himself seriously than to do it willingly to anyone, that includes Shifters. But I can't say the same about you. If something happens to him because I agreed to it, it will be my responsibility. And I take my work as seriously as the safety of my friends."

Hearing Hanji speak about him that way made the brunet fight against embarrassment, the young man had no notion that the woman considered him so much. He knew he should not have been so surprised by the woman's reaction; it had been a long time since she had treated him as just another experiment or riddle to be revealed. But hearing the words so clearly said carried a greater weight than his mere assumptions.

After the little speech of the researcher, Eren found himself trapped once more under the cat's gaze. An emotion the young man did not know how to name glittered in those tempestuous eyes, and the brunet had the feeling of being judged again. After a moment of staring at him, L turned to Hanji before moving his head in a clear nod of _confirmation_. And that seemed to be all the answer the woman needed before declaring that Eren should follow her into her office to sign some papers and then they could leave the lab.

 

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After more than half an hour being bombarded with questions, recommendations, _suggestions_ , warnings, and a small pile of documents that required his signature, Eren finally crossed the corridors back to the room where the Rogue had been waiting for him. He went straight to the door and was surprised to find the big black cat sitting exactly where he was when the brunet and Hanji left the room. The panther seemed to be excited to see him arrive, as if he'd had doubts that Eren would really get him out of there.

"Hey, uh. Is it okay to call you L? I mean, it's what's on the collar around your neck." The young man found himself mumbling, once more unsure of how to proceed, and again that sound that Eren was beginning to associate with debauchery came from the Shifter. It seemed that the other liked to see him awkwardly. - "I'm going to call you L, then." said Eren decisively.

The Rogue reacted by giving him the same kind of nod he had given Hanji during the earlier conversation. Before marching to the door, extend one paw of retracted nails and resting it on the door. The brunet had no difficulty understanding what the panther wanted and a small laugh left his lips, which the feline ignored, clearly more interested in leaving the laboratory. Together they walked through the corridors, L following to his right, his tempestuous orbs watching everything they passed. Soon they reached the reception where Historia received them with a big smile and a look of open admiration for L - the feline was without doubt a beautiful sight. Although Eren did not have a Contract, and L was not his Familiar, it did not diminish the joy of the little blond girl who fired them wishing good luck. Finally leaving the building the brunet took a deep breath feeling full of energy. He knew he should be smiling like an idiot, if the strange looks he was getting - especially of the cat - meant something, but he did not care. Eren was going home with a Shifter and that was all that mattered at the time.

When they reached the parking lot, L looked suspiciously at the open door of Eren's car, then back at the brunet as if wondering if _that was really necessary_. Inquiry that the policeman returned with an affirmative answer. With a slightly irritated sound the feline jumped gracefully on the backseat of the vehicle and sat down, radiating discomfort. Starting the car, the young man went home. It was an interesting trip with all the glances that people threw at them, more specifically at the black panther sitting by the window watching the world outside. It seemed the cat had found something to distract him from his initial discomfort. Once more Eren was reminded that L had been most likely arrested the whole time he was in the human world - the brunet made a mental note to try to remedy that. Hanji had said that five years was Shifter's minimum time estimate in this world. Five years and the Rogue had not gone feral yet. The brunet could not even imagine how such a thing was even possible and it seemed he was not the only one, the entire Survey Corps lab was confused and excited about the discovery - Hanji being the most excited, obviously.

Eren found himself speaking for a good part of the journey, telling about his work, his colleagues and team friends, about his overprotective foster sister and his best friend, futile things that his mouth would not stop producing. The only sign that the Rogue was actually listening to his rambling was the movement of his ears, which the brunet could see in the rear-view mirror and the occasional snort when his comments seemed to amuse the other. It was oddly gratifying to know that the cat was paying attention, even vaguely.

Soon Eren was stopping outside his house in a reasonable neighbourhood where he had lived for the last three and a half years. It had been a struggle with Mikasa, but the brunet _had to feel_ owner of his own life, and his adopted sister had to learn that she could not control him or treat him like a child. Both were adults, and the two were in the same department along with many of their former classmates. In addition, since Academy times everyone had seen Eren as their leader, and when it became official Mikasa overprotection began to become a problem. It had been, as always, Armin who came up with the solution - Eren should live alone for the sake of the brothers' relationship. It took a few months of research, several unsuccessful attempts by his sister to change his mind, a tooth in the money left by Carla, and oddly _Grisha_ , in the savings shared between the brothers, and soon the brunet had a small house just for himself. And now the young man would be sharing his home with a Rogue.

Eren did not consider himself a disorganized person, but he never felt as self-conscious as when he opened the door and let L into his living room. There was his lightly threadbare sofa set, with a blanket thrown over the larger one along with some cushions; the small coffee table had some books and controls for his video game. Beyond the room stood his kitchen with the crockery of his earlier unwashed meal - at least he had taken everything off the table. The brunet knew that if he went to his room his bed would look like a nest, with the matted covers of his hours of sleep shortly after his return from the hospital. All in all he had to admit that he had done poor work in organization, the panther standing at the door watching the new environment seemed to agree, if the sound that L issued meant something. It was disconcerting that a creature who lived caged undoubtedly in the midst of filth found his house messy, but considering that the Shifter was a feline and cats liked cleaning, Eren imagined that it made sense; it still did not stop him from defending himself.

"What? You try to keep everything neat and organized after being hospitalized and getting discharged taking medicine for the headache of a concussion." - The look the feline threw at him flashed quickly with something the brunet was not sure of what it was.

After a moment of sniffing the air a little, L finally crossed the door and was sitting on the carpet in the living room, his stormy gaze sliding over the furniture and walls with some pictures of his friends hanging. As if satisfied with what he had found for now, the cat stared at Eren as if to say _I'm here, what now?_

"Hanji said I needed to change the bandages on your paw and clean the place before applying an ointment and put on new bandages. A bath without a doubt would be the most efficient way of cleaning. But I don't think cats like much water." The brunet laughed without much emotion, the thought of how he would convince a creature _much_ _larger_ and _stronger_ than any domestic cat to bathe giving him discomfort. However it seemed that he would not have to worry.

At the mention of _bathing_ the feline's gaze seemed to light up, as if the idea of soap and water were the best things in the world. Eren found himself questioning how much in fact L was like a feline of human's world. As a child he remembered having, together with Armin, tried to bathe a small cat that the grandfather of the blond had given him as a gift. It had been a disaster ending with the brunet scratched and his best friend falling into the tub - the cat in turn had escaped only with wet paws. Ignoring the old memories, the young man turned to the eager feline standing in the middle of his living room.

"I suppose you want a shower?" An affirmative nod was his response and soon Eren found himself marching into the bathroom to prepare a shower for the Rogue.

With a bag containing medical supplies he had received from Hanji, Eren returned to the living room to find L curled up on the carpet, looking rather worn if the brunet was to be sincere. Once again he remembered that even looking so sharp and determined the feline had an injured paw plus a few other wounds, and Eren had him walking on the injury for some time. Repentance crossed his chest, but the young man doubted the panther had agreed to be transported or anything.

"L, I need to get those bandages off and clean the wound and bandage it again. And then I need you to swallow the antibiotic. I know it's unpleasant, but it will speed up your healing. Hanji assured me that it work and she made me promise that I would make you ingest it." The brunet informed, taking on his most stubborn expression.

The feline gave him a sharp look, tempestuous orbs that seemed to probe him, as if seeking other intensions in his words and attitudes. But as L would learn by living with Eren, the young man was extremely sincere and a terrible liar. As if deciding that the brunet was planning nothing more than what he said, releasing a snort that sounded rather resigned, the panther rose shuddering slightly, ready to follow him into the bathroom.

Eren had chosen to bathe the cat using the shower instead of the tub, so that it was faster and exposed less the injury to other substances. Turning on the water and allowing it to reach a pleasant temperature, the brunet took care of removing the bandages. The feline let out some irritated noises, clearly struggling with the pain, but otherwise did not react, and the young man took that as a good sign.

"I'm sorry, I know it must hurt. If I could get the one who hurt you I would hurt him the same way. No one should be treated that way, much less Shifters who have no choice when they are forced by their Contractors."

Once again Eren could feel the fury begin to boil in his blood. He did not realize he was practically growling until he felt a hairy head hit his thigh, where he was crouched by the feline, pulling the last lap off the gauze.

"Sorry. It's just, as Hanji said, I hate to see innocents get hurt. I think that's why I'm good at what I do." He remarked, getting another low-pitched noise from the cat, one that sounded strangely calmative.

Once the gauze was removed, the young man finally had a good look at the wound. It was red and quite swollen and Eren wondered how L had managed to walk on a paw with an injury like that. This was further proof of how strong this panther really was and the brunet found a pulse of pride vibrating in his chest. The fact that L was not his Familiar seemed not to be enough to dissuade his heart.

"Is it okay if I wash you?" Eren knew it was a silly question, because it was not as if L could wash himself in his animal form, and as he seemed excited by the idea of a bath in the human way, he would depend on the brunet's help. An angry snort was his response and Eren decided that was all the encouragement he needed.

The panther's fur was as soft and silky as it looked, and covered strong muscles; Eren found himself questioning how all this would rearrange itself in a human body. L would probably have black hair and a well-muscled body. Would his eyes be the same colour they were now, or would one of the tones stand out more than the other? The more he thought about it, the more curious the young man became. Ignoring the possibility that the feline might not accept him as his contractor, Eren hastened to finish the bath when he realized the panther was starting to get restless - the pain should be intensifying. After a last rinse the brunet turned off the water and began to dry the feline with a pair of towels as best he could, then he spread an ointment on the wound and put the bandages back. All the while L did nothing more than grumble low in his throat. When it was all over, even the antibiotic ingested unwillingly, it was a visibly exhausted Rogue who jumped on his couch and Eren pulled the blanket over the feline that yawned revealing very sharp teeth.

Deciding that he had disturbed the Shifter enough for the moment, the brunet prepared to take a shower as well. Now that the bustle of the day seemed to be calming down he could feel his head beginning to throb again. It was a sign that his own medication was losing its effect. With a sigh of relief Eren let the hot water spray relax his muscles. Despite the discomfort in his head the young man was practically emanating happiness and the reason was a grumpy fur ball that was currently resting on his old couch.

 

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you are thinking about the story, your opinions are my incentive to keep writing.  
> You can find me on my Tumblr: lenoryt13.tumblr.com  
> Until the next chapter!


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